Shen Mi: “…”

“We just bought a house, and the renovation cost over two hundred thousand. We don’t have any money to lend you. Your cousin-in-law’s family is influential in the city. If you keep bothering him, it will affect your cousin. You should think about him too. Don’t come again.”

Shen Mi glanced at her wristwatch, no longer wasting time: “Can I see my fourth uncle?”

“He’s at work.” Chen Guifang glanced at Shen Mi, her words laced with meaning: “Everyone’s at work at this time. How could someone with a job possibly run out to visit relatives?”

Shen Mi saw her carrying a basket of groceries and patiently said, “Then I’ll help you take the things upstairs.”

Chen Guifang hurriedly stopped her: “Your sister-in-law doesn’t like strangers coming into the house. You… just give them to me.”

Shen Mi nodded: “Okay.”

Chen Guifang took a few steps, as if her conscience had been pricked, and turned back to Shen Mi: “We tried to persuade you not to go to university back then, but you wouldn’t listen. You insisted on rejecting Chen Dong. Look at Zhang Cuihong, she only finished junior high school, but she married into a wealthy family and lives like a young mistress. How good is that.”

Shen Mi tried hard to remember who these people were.

“Her husband is a bit older, but he has three houses and several cars in the city. Unfortunately, she gave birth to a daughter, so the family property will all go to her husband’s son. But for someone like her, achieving this much is enough.” She pointed at Shen Mi’s bag: “Look at you, your bag is almost worn white and you’re still carrying it. Zhang Cuihong last time she came back to her hometown, she was carrying all brand-name bags…”

“Fourth aunt, since Fourth Uncle isn’t home, I’ll leave now.” Shen Mi interrupted her, turning and walking forward while hailing a taxi.

This woman was practically a childhood shadow for her.

On the way back to the hotel, Shen Mi received a call from Xie Rongzhuo asking her to go to the shopping mall.

“Boss, I already bought the gifts.”

Xie Rongzhuo said, “Come.”

•  

Arriving at the mall, Shen Mi went directly to the coffee shop where Xie Rongzhuo was.

She saw Xie Rongzhuo in a white shirt at once. There was a half-finished cup of coffee on the table opposite him, he must have just finished talking business with someone.

“Boss.”

“Hmm.” Xie Rongzhuo placed his phone upside down on the table, his gaze lingered on her for two seconds before asking, “Would you like to have something to drink?”

Shen Mi smiled slightly, “No, I’m not thirsty.”

Xie Rongzhuo nodded, grabbed his coat and put one hand in his pocket, “Let’s go then.”

Shen Mi didn’t ask where he was going and followed obediently.

Xie Rongzhuo led her into a luxury store.

“Go choose.”

Shen Mi said rigorously, “How old is the person, how tall, how heavy, how thin?”

Xie Rongzhuo said, “I’m buying it for you.”

Shen Mi: ???

“I’m going to meet a business partner with you later.” Xie Rongzhuo lowered his eyes and glanced at her high heels, “Buy shoes too.”

Thinking of the look Chen Guifang gave her bag earlier, Shen Mi pushed the corner of her bag behind her, smiling up at him, “Okay.”

“Buy a bag too.”

“…”

Xie Rongzhuo turned and walked towards the VIP lounge.

“Buy an even number, keep the receipts and ask me for reimbursement, they’ll be reclaimed when you leave.”

Xie Rongzhuo’s obsessive-compulsive tendencies also manifested in numbers; he didn’t like odd numbers and was particularly fixated on “6” and “8.”

Since it was the boss’s request to wear high-end brands to meet the business partner, Shen Mi complied: “Alright.”

Luxury brand clothes were fascinating; they looked ordinary on the hanger, but once worn, they transformed completely. Shen Mi already had a good figure, and these clothes made her look even better than the models in magazines.

The sales associate was stunned for a few seconds, sincerely praising her: “You’re just perfect for this dress.”

The dress Shen Mi wore was fitted, perfectly accentuating her flawless waist and hip curves. Paired with the new high heels and a cashmere coat, she exuded an extraordinary aura.

Looking back three generations, Shen Mi’s family was also a prominent and distinguished household, with ancestors who were high-ranking officials. Even though the family had fallen on hard times, her demeanor still reflected their noble background.

A nearby customer pointed at her dress: “Do you have that style in my size? No need to try it on. Just pack one for me.”

Shen Mi tried on two more outfits, and the nearby customer immediately purchased them upon seeing her.

The sales associate was no longer just promoting clothes; they continuously brought out limited edition items for Shen Mi to try on, as if they wanted to hug her long legs and shout “Goddess of Wealth.”

The other party was dedicated and enthusiastic, and Shen Mi felt too shy to refuse. She glanced over at Xie Rongzhuo in the lounge; he was leaning back in his chair, eyes closed, taking a nap, showing no signs of impatience. Since these items were already expensive, she decided to choose the most suitable ones and tried on everything the sales associate brought.

The customer next to them was carrying a large number of shopping bags, looking quite satisfied with her haul.

Xie Rongzhuo finished his second cup of coffee and stood up, walking out. “Wrap up everything she tried on.”

Shen Mi was still in the fitting room changing clothes. Hearing this, she hurriedly exclaimed, “Some of them don’t fit very well.” Each of those outfits cost five figures, and she had tried on over a dozen!

Xie Rongzhuo was clearly out of patience and didn’t want to wait there any longer. Acting as if he hadn’t heard her, he pointed, “That pair, and that pair.” Then he pointed in another direction, “Wrap those two bags as well.”

The sales associate was grinning from ear to ear: “Sure! Would you like to pay in cash or by card?”

When Shen Mi came out, she saw a row of shopping bags at the checkout counter. Xie Rongzhuo had finished signing and casually handed her one of the bags: “Change into this.” After saying that, he walked out.

Shen Mi took the bag and quickly changed, leaving her old bag behind. She checked the items and the receipt details, added the store’s WeChat to request a proof of purchase, and arranged for the items to be delivered to her specified hotel.

Not caring about the enthusiastic calls from the sales associates behind her, she hurriedly walked towards the parking lot in her high heels.

“Boss…” Shen Mi gasped as she caught up with Xie Rongzhuo, “You really didn’t have to buy so much; two outfits would have been enough.”

Xie Rongzhuo slowed his pace, turned his head, and asked her, “So how many did you try on?”

Shen Mi: “…”

“Just buy what you like, don’t waste time choosing.”

Only someone as wealthy as Xie Rongzhuo would dare to say something like that.

Xie Rongzhuo glanced at the small leather bag in her hand, “Not bad.”

It really was nice; there’s no way the price could be wrong. Even selling her wouldn’t be enough to buy it.

She felt like she was carrying around a “family heirloom.”

Shen Mi made an effort to maintain her smile: “Thank you, boss.”

Suddenly, Xie Rongzhuo laughed.

Shen Mi saw him smile for the first time, a little inexplicably, she carefully held her bag and carried “Ancestor” into the car. Turning her head, she found Xie Rongzhuo was still smiling.

Was it that funny? Did she somehow carry her luxury bag with a “comical” aura?

Xie Rongzhuo turned his head, his gaze lightly falling on her face. Shen Mi could only look back, quietly waiting for the boss to give instructions.

However, Xie Rongzhuo just looked at her. The car was quiet. Shen Mi suddenly didn’t know what expression to make. She nervously blinked her eyes and continued to meet his gaze.

Xie Rongzhuo didn’t move his gaze, and he didn’t know what he thought of, but a low laugh rolled out of his nostrils. It was very soft, but Shen Mi happened to hear it.

Shen Mi:?

Happy because he spent money?

Did no one ever spend money for him before?

Xie Rongzhuo’s eyes flickered, and he suddenly said, “If you like it, just tell me.”

Shen Mi: ???

“Didn’t you look over first?”

“Following that logic, shouldn’t you be the one who likes me?”

Xie Rongzhuo’s logic was very strong. Shen Mi often couldn’t follow his train of thought, but she was sure that Xie Rongzhuo wouldn’t say anything without factual basis.

She never expected that making eye contact would be mistaken for liking him.

“I think I can explain,” she maintained her composure.

Xie Rongzhuo lifted his eyelids, “Caught red-handed, how do you explain that?”

Shen Mi looked into his eyes through her glasses.

His eyelashes were very long, like crow feathers, covering his eyes and reflecting a faint light from the glasses, obscuring the emotions in his eyes.

Shen Mi was innocent, but her palms were sweating.

She tried to pull herself out of the tension of making eye contact and then understood his words based on his gaze. Suddenly realizing, she opened the receipt.

There were 16 items listed, and she had counted the shopping bags from the counter before leaving. Including this bag, there were exactly 16 items.

Shen Mi silently lowered her head.

The coat she was wearing was the 17th item, an odd number, meaning Xie Rongzhuo didn’t pay for it.

A message popped up from the sales assistant on WeChat: “Excuse me, beautiful, but that coat you’re wearing hasn’t been paid for yet~ However, if you like it, you can try it on for a few days!”

“…”

Shen Mi replied: “Okay. Sorry, I’ll bring it to you later.”

She glanced at the man beside her. Was he suffering from severe obsessive-compulsive disorder?

So would he also need to kiss his girlfriend twice in the future?

Would he need to have intimate relationships with her twice every night?

Scary; just thinking about it made her break out in a sweat for the boss’s wife.

A word from the author:

Is it possible that you are that boss’s wife?